Former task force leader faces federal indictment

Tuesday

The former director of the Jasper County Drug Task Force and his wife now face new scrutiny for allegedly trying to hide money and property from a federal bankruptcy court.

The former director of the Jasper County Drug Task Force and his wife now face new scrutiny for allegedly trying to hide money and property from a federal bankruptcy court.

Frank Lundien and Hailey Lundien, both of Joplin, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for fraudulently concealing from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court a motorcycle, a camper trailer and a joint checking account with $1,875 in it, then lying about the items to the grand jury.

Frank Lundien is a former Joplin police officer and former director of the Jasper County Drug Task Force until Feb. 15, 2007, when he resigned after a fire that destroyed the contents of the Task Force’s evidence locker.

According to the grand jury indictment handed down Thursday, Frank and Hailey Lundien concealed from federal bankruptcy court their ownership of a 1982 Harley Davidson motorcycle, a 1981 pop-up camper trailer and $1,875 in a joint checking account at the Joplin Metro Credit Union.

The indictment also says the two conspired to make a false statement on July 9, 2004, when they said no adjustments needed to be made to their bankruptcy petition.

Lundien is also being sued in Jasper County Circuit Court by Bobby R. Marrett, Webb City, for allegedly failing to return to Marrett more than $62,000 that was taken from him when he was the subject of a federal drug investigation in 2004.

Federal prosecutors said it was drug money, but the charges against Marrett were dropped Dec. 7, 2006.

When Marrett and his attorney approached Lundien, who was then working as director of the Jasper County Drug Task Force, about returning the money, Marrett said in his lawsuit that Lundien stalled several times.

The lawsuit said Lundien’s superior officers ordered him to turn the money over to then Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office on Feb. 15, 2007 but a mysterious fire in the task force’s evidence locker Feb. 14, 2007 destroyed everything in it.

Lundien resigned Feb. 15, 2007.

In his response to the lawsuit, Lundien denied all wrongdoing and said Marrett’s money was transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Springfield.

Efforts to contact the FBI office in Kansas City to ask about the status of the agency’s investigation into the matter were unsuccessful Friday.

On Friday, Jasper County Sheriff Archie Dunn said from what he knows, the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.

Carthage Press

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.